Exasperated
by SnowChika
Summary: This is a one shot, set in Murtagh's POV right after the Battle of the Burning Plains. It's basically what he's thinking, and him and Thorn talking. My first Fanfic ever. Please read & review!


**A/N: This is my first ever fan-fic, and, since I've been convinced it isn't horrid, I've revised it. If I get enough (ie, any), I'm going to write a follow up story. It follows this somewhat, but this isn't what the story is about. Tell me if I should continue, please! Read and review!**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Eragon, the third one would already be out. And ya'll would've reviewed already.**

What was this feeling? Was there a word that describes this amount of dreariness and tediousness?

_Exasperation._

_Thank you, Thorn. Then I guess I'm exasperated. Shall I sigh in exasperation?_

_You already did. It happened when you were trying to find the word 'exasperation.' I guess you were distracted by the complication of the word quest._

_Oh, well, in that case, why don't I go straight into my daily rant against these imbeciles?_

_I'd be elated to listen to it… again._

_Why can't they do anything? Do they have to come to me for every single little thing, or do you think, maybe just once, they could do something for themselves? But, even if they could, you know they wouldn't_. They never would- that was the way of the Empire, mindless bullies doing the work of the people who actually knew what was going on. The bigger bullies. People like his master. People like _him_.

_Come Murtagh, let us fly. We can forget about Captain Forax in the air._

_Okay, but do I deserve to? Do I deserve to forget? I'm just as bad as Forax; I'm just as much as a player in this war game._

_No, Rider, it's different for you. You were forced into this- you're doing this to save the ones you love, and the ones who love you. The so-called captain does it because he enjoys other people's pain, he enjoys doing our _king's_ bidding. Now, should I go East or West?_

_East, definitely. But make sure you fly behind the hill Thorn. I couldn't bear to lose you too._

_What do you mean?_

_Isn't it obvious? Were you not there? Did you not see his face? Or do you just not remember it? What in the worlds made me do it? Those weren't __**his**__ orders. Of course, I'll probably be praised, for crushing his self-confidence. But he used to be my friend. I had thought of him as a brother, and now that he knows we are actually brothers, he'll hate me forever. And _why_ did I smile like a maniac, like I enjoyed it? Oh, of course. __**He**__'ll punish you if I show that I hate __**him**__. And, Thorn, can you believe I did that? The look on his face. And then what I told him! I don't even remember it. Something about how we were the same. 'Mirror images.' HAH. _

_I understand. I had to attack my own kin. The only one alive other than Shruikan, remember?"_

_I know. Hey, where are you going?_

Until then, Murtagh hadn't been paying any attention to where Thorn had landed, or where he had been walking. But now, he realized where they were: behind a dune; right outside of The Varden's camp. And, less than 50 yards away, there was Saphira, regally standing outside of a tent. _Are you mad? She'll smell you! Or, worse, see you!_

_No. I'm behind the dune for a reason, o Rider. And the spell you activated earlier is still on. She won't be able to smell me for another few hours._

Murtagh could feel the sarcasm in his dragon's voice. Still, he had to ask, _are you sure?_

_Positive. Now shut up._

_Why?_

Slowly pronouncing each word, as if talking to a child, Thorn replied, _so I can hear their conversation._

Murtagh was about to ask whose, when he realized- Saphira would only be outside of one tent: the one tent belonging to the one person he had been so preoccupied with this evening...

_Are you insane! This is Eragon and Roran you're listening to. You're eavesdropping on my family! Oh no. This is not good. If we hear their conversation, we'll have to repeat it to Galbatorix!_

_Not if we're careful. We can make certain aspects sound obscure. He doesn't have to know _everything_ we do._

Against Murtagh's protests, Thorn opened the link. _Oh no. __Oh no no no no. _They were actually talking, as if inside the tent was actually a safe place to talk. Roran was relating his journey to Eragon, talking to him like a brother. A sharp pain ripped through his torso._ Like we used to_.

_Wait a minute, Thorn..._ _Did he just say that his betrothed was captured by the Ra'zac?_

_I think so, but didn't Galbatorix say that Roran was just acting on a whim?_

_I believe so… yes, because I was arguing with him; I was angry that he was attacking Eragon's cousin, and he said that Roran had started it. But if Roran's telling the truth..._

_I thought so. And, while the moment's right, I told you so. Roran has his cousin's blood… both of them. Now, Murtagh, please, could you stop thinking for two seconds?_

_He's not a traitor. And, I guess I'm sorry._

Silence. What had he missed inside the tent? _The more, the better._

_Stop being so bitter._

_Make me._

_Do you want me to climb up there and really make you? I didn't think so. Now, _please_. Shut. Up._

_Fine. I will._

_Good._

_Good._

Eragon's weary voice broke through their argument. "Aye, she's alive. And chances are, she's imprisoned in Helgrind, in the Ra'zac's lair." _What does where she is have anything to do with it? If she was captured by them, she's either being held in Helgrind or Uru'baen, Eragon knows that…_ "The answer to your question, brother, is yes. I will travel to Dras-Leona with you. I will help you rescue Katrina. And then, together, you and I shall kill the Ra'zac and avenge our father."

_IDIOTS! How does he expect to get into their lair? This is madness. Sheer and utter madness._

_Well, Thorn, I thought we were paying attention to their conversation… But if you want to talk, I've been meaning to tell you, the saddle is starting to get uncomfortable on my backside…._

_Are you not upset by this? You met Eragon because he had been captured by the Ra'zac in the middle of a city. How does he expect to make it into their lair, a league away from civilization?_

_I don't know, but I think he can do it. And, remember, our dearest _lord_ believed Eragon was the one who discovered the lair in Helgrind._

_Sure, Eragon is smart. I guess I forgot about that. I must have been preoccupied with all of his other great qualities. Like how strong he is, weakening just after minutes of sparring. And sensible. You saw him. He let his love for his cousin almost kill him. If it weren't for your quick thinking, he would have killed himself taking Roran from an imagined danger._

_First of all, he had been fighting through the whole day, saving people who would have been better off dead. Second off, Roran would have been in danger if I had decided to alert the Twins. Remember, I'm evil. I could have very well contacted them, like I was supposed to. So, that showed loyalty. More than I could say. I killed him today. Basically, he's an amazing Rider, and will do whatever he puts his mind to._

_First of all, you didn't kill him, he's a big boy, he'll pull through. And, no, he can't make it into the Ra'zac's lair. It's impossible to penetrate; how many people have tried? Now, I'd love to continue to prove you wrong, Sir Madman, but we have to head back to camp. I see a patrol headed this way._

_Gladly._


End file.
